Viruses Flashcards
(9 cards)
What are viruses?
Viruses are acellular, non living particles
What is the structure of a virus?
Viruses contain genetical material (either DNA or RNA), they have a protein coat surrounding the genetic material called the capsid, which contains attachment proteins
Are viruses considered living or nonliving? Why are viruses considered in this way?
Viruses are considered non living. This is because they do not grow or replicate by themselves
How do viruses replicate? The replication of viruses makes it difficult to destroy them, why?
Viruses replicate inside host cells, which makes them difficult to destroy without harming the cell
Why are viruses untreatable with antibiotics?
Viruses are untreatable with antibiotics because they do not have cell walls. For example, bacteria have cell walls so when antibiotics are administered they attack the cell wall. However viruses have a protective protein coating that antibiotics cannot attack.
Viruses are described as acellular, what does this mean?
This means that viruses do not have cells
Function of attachment proteins in a virus?
They bind to receptors on host cells during an invasion
What are some viruses surrounded by that other viruses are not?
Some viruses are surrounded by a lipid envelope
What do all viruses have on their capsid/lipid envelope?
Viruses have attachment proteins which are essential to allow the virus to identify and attach to a host cell
